You are being led through a maze of cramped corridors. As you pass through, you notice the talking busts of men on the walls. They seem to be talking about that man you saw on the eagle—constant, one sided conversations. You notice that all of them are dark haired, mustachioed, and olive skinned. One of them, a particularly atypical bust, is taller than the other, which states, 'Xenophon'. The taller bust is talking about Xenophon's 'strait'. It explains that a strait is a circumstance in which two dangers meet and are offset by each other.
The busts talk about the stories of the Imperium. They explain the dueling that happens all over the Imperium. The Imperium is spread over planets, each under its own patriarch's rule. Each patriarch has his own area of control under which he raises his own army and trades with other planets.
You are to meet somebody in a room called the 'Hall of Honor'. It is the family room for the patriarchs. It is built upon a special pedestal that is raised above all the other rooms in the mansion.
The next bust explains that the Imperium has the most remarkable dueling of anywhere in the known worlds. The duels are discussed as just another usual part of life in the Imperium. Duels are fought for honor, status, and dominion–often arranged by the patriarchs.
The patriarchs themselves do not compete in the duels. Instead, they are the judges and the decide the victor. When the patriarchs are not competing in duels, they spend much of their time in the Hall of Honor, watching the duels.
You arrive at the Hall of Honor. It is an extravagant room. In front of you is a full-length painting of the patriarchs' family. The room has a large projection device to display the different patriarchs' faces. The picture that is being projected does not show you the patriarchs. The picture is just one of them dueling on the planet. The patriarchs' image is soon to be added to the picture. Soon, a great duel will be fought between the emperor of the northern Imperium and the emperor of the southern Imperium. The winner will be decided inside the hall by the patriarchs. At this moment, you are too new for the Imperium to be your own patriarch's area of control. You are not in the tournament, but you are a spectator.
On the other side of the projector hanging ceiling, there is a tall figure sitting comfortably. It is the patriarch of the eastern Imperium. His family has built the longest hall of honor in the current dynasty. Among the other patriarchs, the patriarch is the most honored. He is the patriarch of the imperial family. He is the patriarch of the Emperor himself. He is the patriarch of the Emperor's family. He is the patriarch of the Emperor's bloodline—bloodline being a by-product of a distinction in the duel. He is the father of the Emperor. You can see his hair parting in the light of the projector. He is the most honored man in the Imperium. He is the most honored man in the world.
In a few hours, there will be a great duel. The winner will be decided inside the Hall of Honor. Inside the Hall of Honor, there is a painting of the Emperor. Just as he is beginning to sit down to watch the duel, your guide knocks lightly on the door.
"He will be here very soon," your guide tells you. You enter the room and wish the patriarch a good morning.
"Thank you," he says. He is not a man of many words. He seems content with this.
"Good morning," you greet. He does not greet you in return. He does not quite recognize you. He does not know you yet.
As the patriarch turns to face the projector, the red sun of the Dueling Era sets. All the duels of the Imperium have been deciding the same family line for centuries. Every patriarch has been their own judge when they were a younger boy. Every patriarch will be their own judge when they are older. The Imperium has been a lasting part of the world for a very long time.
There is a great commotion in the courtyard. The Emperor's Imperial Guard comes in from the courtyard. They are fully armed. The Emperor himself enters shortly afterwards. His Imperial Guard follows him. As the guards file in, they sweep the area with their eyes. They spot you standing in the back of the room. They approach you. They look at you. They then look at the patriarch. They apparently recognize him.
